Box or vessel for powdered or granular material.



Patented Nov, 20; I900.

E. ,E. CLEMENT. BOX 0R VESSEL FOR POWDERED OB'GRANULAR MATERIAL.

(Annlication me 2a, 1900.

(No Model.)

llllllilllllll l lliil WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES ATET EDWARD E. CLEMENT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT GEISSERT, OF PHI LADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Iatent No. 662,353, dated November 20, 1900.

Application filed August 23, 1900 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. CLEMENT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington,in the District of Oolumbia,have invented a new and useful Box or Vessel for Packing and Dispensing Powdered or Granular Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to individual pack-- :0 ing and dispensing vessels, and has for its object the production of such an article of economical construction and convenient shape which is intended to form the original package in which merchandise in the granular or powdered form, such as toilet powders and the like, may be shipped by the manufacturer and which serves also to hold and dispense the contents thereof for the convenience of the user.

It is desirable that these boxes should be permanently closed and so constructed as to render it impossible to refill them, thus preventing unscrupulous persons from imposing upon the public imitations of the original contents; also, as they are to be used but once and then thrown away the construction should be of the simplest and cheapest consistent with good appearance and convenient form, and the number of parts should there 0 fore be as few as possible.

In attaining the objects and meetingthese requirements my invention consists of a vessel or receptacle composed of two cylindricalshaped members, one partly overlapping the other, means for rotatably securing the same together without additional parts, and registering apertures in the overlapping portions of both members.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate the same parts,

Figure l is a perspective side view of a box constructed according to my invention. Fig.

' 2 is a plan view of the same, in which a portion of the top is cut away. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line m w of Fig. 2,

and Fig. 4 is a part sectional view of a modification of my invention.

My box in its preferred form (illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is composed of two similar symmetrical cylindrically-shaped parts A and B, the part B being of slightly smaller diame- Serial N0.27,811. (No model.)

ter and adapted to fit snugly and rotate with-- in the part A. I provide agroove or depression A, extending around the circumference of the part A and form the edge of the over lapping part 0 into an inwardly-projecting flange B, adapted to engage the shoulder thus formed, thereby securing the parts together. When revolved in opposite directions, therefore, the parts will turn upon each other without the addition of a rivet or bolt or any other retaining means other than the groove and flange.

It is desirable that when the parts are secured in their relative positions the part B should rest on the edge or rim A" of A, so as to prevent lateral movement, and the flange B should engage the shoulder of the groove A with sufficient pressure only to prevent a too-free rotation of the parts upon each other.

The overlapping portions of the two halves are provided with apertures a 1), adapted to register when the parts are in the proper relative positions to allow the contained powder to be shaken out. I have shown only one pair of these registering apertures in the drawings; but of course there may be any number and they may vary in size and shape, as desired. When once closed by reaming or crimping the edge B into the groove A, it is impossible to separate the parts of the box without the aid of a special tool, and even if thus separated they would be 'so mutilated as to be useless. The hole or holes are made too small to be used as a means of refilling the box on account of the time which would be required for the powder or granular material to run in, the pay of the workmen for that time amounting to more than the original cost of the box.

Indicators, such as the small arrows shown in Fig. 1, may be placed upon the revolving parts to show for the convenience of the user the position of the inner or hidden aperture a.

In practice I prefer to stamp'and form each part out of a single piece of sheet metal by means of suitable dies. The ends 0 are convex, being sections of a sphere of larger diameter than the cylindrical sides, thereby giving the greatest capacity compatible with a convenient form for shipment.

IOO

After the reduired amount of powder is placed in one part the box is closed, and the edge of the outer portion is spun or crimped down into the groove, when the package is ready for shipment anduse.-

In constructing my box as heretofore described a separate operation is necessary for the formation of the groove and retainingshoulder, for the reason that it would be impossible to withdraw the die after the formation of the groove, so that the die must be first withdrawn andthe groove then formed, thus causing loss of time and adding to the expense. To obviate this difficulty,the groove may be formed in a slightly-different manner, as illustrated in Fig. 4, which shows a modification of my invention. Here the groove or depression is formed as shown at A, and the shoulder adapted to be engaged by the flange B is indicated at B The rim A does not extend to the convex end, but only to a similar shoulder formed in the other half of the box, and when the two halves are placed together an annular raised ridge or band is formed extending around the circumference of the cylinder, in which band the registering v apertures a b are located. The rim B is then reamed down into the groove A and engages the shoulder B It is evident that by this construction each part of the box may be stamped and formed by a single movement of the die, no additional operation being required to produce the groove. This form makes an efficient as well as attractive package.

These boxes are intended for use especially with powders for washing and cleansing purposes and is well adapted for convenient handling by the user; but it is obvious that they may be used with equal advantage for the shipment and dispensing of various other kinds of'merchandise in the powdered form.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box or vessel of the character described composed of two complementary cylindrical members each having a closed and an open end, the diameters of the members being such that when they are placed with their open ends together one will fit within the other, to form a closed chamber, a shoulder formed in the circumference of the inner member, an inwardly -extending flange formed upon the outer member and adapted to engage over said shoulder, and apertures in the overlapping peripheries of both members adapted to be brought into registry by turning one member upon the other, substantially as described.

2. A Vessel of the character described composed of two cylindrical members, each having one closed and one open end and adapted to fit with their open ends together, the edges overlapping, a continuous depression formed in the periphery of the inner member and a flange formed by turning over the edge ofthe outer member to loosely engage said depression, whereby the members are rotatably secured together, and apertures in the overlapping portions of the members adapted to be brought into registry by rotating one upon the other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD E. CLEMENT. 

